Device for marking patterns on cloth



Aug. 29, 1961 B. N. NocK 2,997,983

DEVICE FOR MARKING PATTERNS ON CLOTH Filed March 28, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent O i 2,997,983 DEVICE FOR MARKING PATTERNS ON CLOTHBerta N. Nock, 2580 N. Moreland Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio Filed Mar.28, 1955, Ser. No. 497,143 1 Claim. (Cl. 120`13) This invention relatesto a device for marking the guiding points of patterns onto cloth to becut according to the pattern.

In my prior Patent No. 2,541,435, @granted February 13, 1951, is shown adevice by which two marking chalks are caused to be aligned and engageand rotate upon the cloth to be marked. The present inventionconstitutes an improvement and modification of that type of patternmarker, which may be more cheaply manufactured, is more convenient touse, and which avoids certain difficulties encountered in the use of thedevice of my prior patent and other devices in which aligned chalks arecaused to rotate on the cloth.

One of the difficulties encountered in bringing two chalks together androtating them is that the chalks wear unevenly, chip, and resistturning, imth resulting crumbling and waste and consequent requiredfrequent -replacement of the chalks.

An object of the present invention is to use a single rotating chalk onone of a pair of coacting arms in the general nature of shears withhandles adapted to be grasped by one hand to position and bring themarker to bear upon the cloth at the proper point indicated by thepattern, and a specic object is to provide a coacting aligned memberwhich serves to center and guide the chalk as it is .brought against acupped or concave surface.

A further object is to form in such coacting and locating member chalktrimming shoulders or surfaces in the nature of radial or spiral ribsand grooves.

In carrying out the invention of the aforesaid patent, and for purposesof more cheaply manufacturing such a device, it has been designed formaking the pair of arms and handles of plastic material. A large numberof such devices have been manufactured by thermoplastic injection. Aneconomical, suitable, and artistic appearing material capable of beingso molded is somewhat resilient and it is particularly desirable toeffect a centering of the chalk with its coacting pattern mark locaterand trimming member.

When two chalks were rotatably mounted on such a pair of arms and causedto rotate by pressure when brought together, it sometimes occurred,particularly when marking on thin cloth or when the crayons or chalksare brought directly together without cloth between, that defacement orchipping and waste of the chalk markers has resulted.

Furthermore, an advantage attained 'by the present invention is that inusing only one chalk and causing it to rotate as it is brought againstthe reaction member on the opposing carrier arm, the chalk carrier withspiral cam rotating arrangement need not be duplicated, as is requiredin the structures of my prior patent. Likewise, other devices which usea pair of chalk holders in opposed aligned relation rnust provide meansfor rotating both of the chalk members simultaneously in oppositedirections. Thus, a considerable economy is effected by using a patternmark pointer and reaction member toward which the single chalk ispressed and guided and turned when marking cloth according to a pattern.i

The use of two chalks had an advantage where the marking indicia on thepattern comprised a series of locating, spaced openings or holes in thepaper or theI like sheet of the pattern proper. However, a great many'2,997,983 Patented Aug. 29 1961` lCCiy patterns for dresses and other[garments are now made with printed indicia and it is -a disadvantage tohave the marker comprise two rotating chalks or crayons the one of whichbears upon and may obliterate the printed marks, or unnecessarily wearand possibly tear the pattern material.

My present invention, therefore, contemplates placing the reaction andmarklocator -at the indicated point on the pattern while the rotatablechalk is brought toward it on the opposite side of the cloth from thatto which the pattern is afxed. Thus, for the great majorityv'ofpatterns, a single mark is effected at each actuation' and at eachlocation, and with the same or greater accuracy than has heretofore beenattained with the pair of aligned; rotating chalks.

In the instances where it may lbe desirable to mark on both sides of thesingle layer of cloth, or to simultaneously mark two layers pinned orsuitably secured to the pattern, I have found that when the cup-shapedreaction and trimming element is pressed against the chalk, a residualdeposit of the chalk material will remain upon and be carried by thestationary, non-rotating reaction and locating member. A number ofsatisfactory/,clearly visible marks may be made by such deposit ofpowdered chalk before again bringing the chalk directly againstthecup-shaped surface with its chalk trimming and abrading elements fora fresh supply. This abrading action simultaneously rounds and smoothsthe end of the chalk. The diameter of the mark made by the powder orresidual chalk carried on the stationary member may be the same size, oronly slightly larger than the diameter of the chalk.

Other incidental advantages and objects will become apparent in thefollowing description which relates to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the marker 1n use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional detail of the chalk carrierand stationary reaction member with a cloth and pattern therebetweenindicated in broken lines;

FIG. 3 is a detail plan view of the end of the trimming and reactionmember;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of -a modified form of locater and reactionmember and the aligned chalk;

FIG. 5 is a similar view in the nature of a section taken on the line5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of a pair of aligned chalks showing theresult of chipping heretofore experi-y enced on bringing the chalkstogether;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the chalk holder;

FIG. 8 is an elevation of the carrier and turning member for the chalkholder;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged section of the end of the carrier arm showing thereturned cam;

FIG. l0 is a plan view of a modified form of the trimming and reactionmember; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view of another form of mounting for thereaction member.

One form of my improved marker comprises essen` tially a pair of curvedarms 1 and 2 pivoted together at 3 and each made integral with asuitable scissors ori shears-type of handle 4 and 5. At the end of thearni 1 is an enlarged head portion 10 which has a bore closed at theupper end at 11 and which receives the reaction j member here shown ascomprising a cylindrical element 12 having a flange 13 securely fittedto the head mem-j ber 10. The member 12 may have a small central bore,as shown, and for convenience and toyshorten the molding time, is madeof thermoplastic material. -This' bore- The outer end of the member 12is prefer-ably'made concave, -as indicated iat 1.4, fand mayA beprovided with' radial grooves preferably interspersed with still finerlines or grooves having an abrasive and trimming effect o n the end ofthe chalk or crayon.

' flheether anni?. terminatesin :a cylindrical Yhead vportion l2f), intowhich is slidably fitted the Vcrayon holder proper which is in the formof the -cylinder 23 with an enlarged bore portionf24 to receive thechalk member 22 tightly tted therein. 'j Trunnions 25 are moldedintegrally with this piece, which also may be made of thermoplasticmaterial. These ltr-unnions coact with cam surfaces to turn backthe-chalk as will presently appear.

The member 23 slidably fts into the bore 26, which extends inwardly ltothe-shoulders between it Aand Ythe enlarged cylindrical portion 27,between Vwhich-is formed a spiral shoulder 28 along which-the 'trunnions25 may move to turn the chalk in `one direction. The cylinder 23 "alsoslidably iits into a cylinder 30, which in turn ts within the bore 27Where it may be removably secured by a bayonet-attaching arrangementcomprising a slot shaped as shown at 29 engaging the trunnions or pins34. The outer end of the cylinder 30 is closed and a liange 31 projectsoutwardly over the adjacent wall of the cylindrical head 20.

The spring 35 acts `against a rotating and slidable disk 36 which has acentral opening through which passes a pin 37, anchored to the end ofthe cylinder 30, and which limits the upward movement of the springwhile permitting the chalk and its carrier to be moved downwardly adistance suiiicient to turn approximately a half turn, or nearly 180Idegrees. The return movement under the actiony of the spring-35 causestheftrunnions 25 to bear against the cam surfaces 28 and effect arotation in reverse direction.

The slopes of the cams Z8 should be as steep as is practicable,Ypreferably at a spiral angle of about 60 degrees relative to a radialplane, so that only slight pressure is needed to cause the chalk toberturned against the cloth or when being pressed into the trimmingsurface 14.

VIt will be seen that with the central opening in the member 12 causesthe chalk to take on the appearance indicated in FIG. 2 -after eachrotating contact with the surface 14 and its ribs or abrasive shoulders15.

As a slightly modified form, one of the arms indicated as 1a in FIGS. 4and 5, kmay be brought to a saucer-like head the same ysize or slightlylarger than the diameter-of the chalk as indicated at 40, While aconcave surface 41 therein is provided with abrasive ribs and groovesor-similarly acting shoulder surfaces adapted to contact and smooth andtrim the ends ofthe chalk or crayon.

As indicated, this concave `effect assures centering and alignment ofthe chalk with the reaction member 12 or 40 when it is located on thepattern or when it is placed within the opening inthe pattern P andpresses directly against the cloth C as shown in FIG. 2. This isparticu- `larly useful in marking thin, very pliable cloth.

It has been found that when the crayon is brought against the trimmingsurface of the `stationary reaction member and further pressure applied,the consequent turning of the chalk effects a slight abrasion, trimmingand shaping of the end of the chalk. The chalk so removed by thistrimming action, being scraped by the shoulders of the grooves 15 or 42,is deposited on and tends to adhere to the surface. Thus', a residue ofpowdered chalk or crayon on the surface 14 or 41', and in the groovesthereon, may be applied to the cloth 'through a marking opening in thepattern. That is, when the arms are actuated to bring the rotating chalkagainst the opposite side of the cloth, this ridnal chalk powder on the'non-rotating member is pressed onto the cloth and leaves a visible,satisfactory mark on the cloth, on the side'op'poite to that made by theturning chalk.

Thus, lboth sides ofthe cloth or two layers of kcloth may be marked inthe same fashion as vdescribedlin my prior patent. A fresh deposit of`'chalk powder may'be JY'2,997,983 a i placed upon the stationaryreaction member after maklll -ing each mark corresponding to each holein the pattern. However, I have found that frequently as many as six toa dozen visible marks may be made without redepositing chalk on thesurface of the ,reaction member.

When the chalk turns against the reaction member, -an appreciableresistance to the turning is encountered. More effective application ofturning force is attained by the pronounced steepness of the angle ofthecam surfaces 32. The surface of the reaction member may be minutelyroughened instead of forming shoulders or grooves such as 15. Y

The Ymodified form-of surface, shown in FIG. l0, illustrates curving4the abrasive and trimming grooves and shoulders in the direction of theturning of the crayon to further lessen resistance to turning the chalk.The grooves 43 being curved inwardly toward the center are there shownas terminating atfthe central opening 44.

In FIG. 1l the reaction member is shown as slidably mounted in the boreof the head portion, there designated 10a, and is shown as comprising acylindrical 'member 50 'slidable in a reduced portion of the bore, whilea flange 51 fits a surface of slightly larger diameter in which ismounted a spring 55 pressing against the Vmember S0 and held by a cap 56secured thereon. A slight projection, indicated at 58, on the ange mayslide Vin a groove 59 extending longitudinally in the bore to preventturning of the-reaction member 50 as the chalk turns.

Thus, when the arms 1 and 2 are brought together and the chalk ispressed either directly against the member 50 or with the clothinterposed, the member slides a short distance longitudinally againstthe resistance of the Spring 5-5. The chalk or cloth engaging face ofthe member may be flat or dished, and roughened for abrading the chalkas heretofore described.

The arms I1 and 2 are -both shown as curved, which facilitates rollingor folding the cloth between them while reaching markings on the patternremote from its edge andthe edges of the cloth. However, these arms mayfbe of any suitable character, it being only necessary that they guidethe chalk holder and the reaction member into aligned coacting position.Mutually bringing aligned chalks to bear on cloth is recognized aslanold principle as shown, for example, in the patent to Holt 737,102 ofAugust 25, 1903, where a device generally similar to that of FIG. 1causes opposed pattern Vmarking chalks to produce dots on opposite sidesof a piece of cloth.

lFor convenience in working on cloth while the cloth and pattern arespread on a at surface, it may be desirable to thrust one arm underneaththe cloth, in which case one arm maybe made straight and flat withrelation lto cloth and surface. In fact,'the reaction member and chalkmay be carried at the free ends of a U-shaped strip of resilient metal,one arm of which may pass benea-th the cloth as does one of the arms inthe for-m shown in the drawing. The chalk is turned 4as before bypressing :the chalk and reaction member together.

It will also be seen that the parts being made of thermoplasticmaterial, such, -for example, as polystyrene or similar materialssuitable for injection molding may be made of any colors desired. Thus,an artistic effect may be attained.

The Vuse of the pattern marker such as described constitutes a novelseriesof steps in that'the chalk is rst trimmed -to present a surfaceparallel to 1and Vcomplementary with the coacting pressure reactionsurface on the opposing arm.

When marking upon both sides of one or two sheets of fabric, the oneside is marked by the pressing and turning of the chalk against thefabric, while the opposing reaction surface is pressed against theopposite surface of the fabric, or second sheet. The process includes anadditional step, namely: the trimming of the chalk and abrading a minuteportion from the end of the chalk contacting the complementary reactionsurface. The portion of the chalk so removed by this abradiug andtrimming action remains on the coacting surface, and it may be depositedon the opposite side of the cloth .from that against which the chalk, orcrayon member is being pressed and turned. Thus, the cloth may be markedon both sides at once, as described.

A further advantage of this series of steps, and of my novel markerconstruction for carrying out the steps, is that the abradiug andtrimming shoulders, formed on the reaction pressure surface, have agripping function when engaging the cloth, thus resisting the tendencyof the cloth to turn with the chalk at the area between the crayon andthe surface. This avoids twisting or wrinklng of thin pliable fabricsheets while being so marked.

Having thus described :my invention, I claim:

A pattern marking device comprising in combination a chalk holder and achalk marking element carried thereby and means for rotating the chalkWhile being pressed against cloth to 'be marked, a non-rotatablereaction pressure member having a marking surface adapted lto engage thecloth on the side opposite the chalk, relatively movable carrer armsbeing mutually connected to bring the chalk holder and pressure surfaceinto alignment on opposite sides of the cloth, the cloth contactingsur-face of the chalk and said reaction pressure marking surface havingparallel complementary surfaces, and the reaction pressure surface beingprovided with abradiug chalk trimming ribs, whereby, when the chalk isbrought into contact therewith and rotated thereagainst, chalk isdeposited thereon and the adjacent end of the chalk is thus trimmed andshaped thereby, said reaction marking surface being concave andcomplementary in respect to the adjacent trimmed end surface of therotating chalk marking element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,732,017 Jenkins Oct. 15, 1929 2,148,009 Bing Feb. 21, 1939 2,323,595Hanisch July 6, 1943 2,541,435 Nock Feb. 13, 1951 2,572,682 Urish Oct.23, 19'51 FOREIGN PATENTS 232,026 Germany Mar. 4, 1911

